“We can’t be chasing games like we have been all series long, really. So I would expect a good start tonight,” Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid said before Game 5, fully aware of the importance of setting the tone early in such a pivotal matchup. With the Stanley Cup Final series tied at 2-2, the stakes were higher than ever. McDavid entered the game carrying the hopes of his team and the city of Edmonton on his shoulders, determined to lead by example and tilt the momentum in the Oilers’ favor. What he didn’t know at that moment, however, was that Game 5 would mark a personal milestone — it was the night he would finally score his first goal of the 2024–25 Stanley Cup Final, a breakthrough that could prove to be a turning point in the series.

On June 14, OptaSTATS reported that following his assist in Game 4, Connor McDavid now has 149 points in his first 94 career playoff games. Only two players in NHL history — fellow Oilers icon Wayne Gretzky (68 games) and Mario Lemieux (86 games) — have reached 150 playoff points in fewer than 100 postseason appearances.

And guess what? After scoring a goal in Game 5, Connor McDavid now joins Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux as the fastest players in NHL history to reach 150 Stanley Cup Playoff points. It’s an incredible milestone and a remarkable achievement for any hockey player, cementing McDavid’s place among the all-time greats.

Wayne Gretzky had already praised Connor McDavid during his interview with Pat McAfee. He called Connor the best player in hockey. To elaborate, Gretzky said, “There’s no question he’s the best player in hockey. He’s an unselfish young man. He loves playing in Edmonton, he loves being the captain of the Oilers.” He also added, “He wants desperately to win a Stanley Cup—that’s all he wants. That’s what he cares about the most right now. He’s just been great for our game; he’s been great for the city of Edmonton.”

He also emphasised on the Oilers captain’s unique quality of clear focus, less-talkative nature, and determination that helps him to get more points. Now, as Connor McDavid gets into the room of legends with Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, let’s see who are the other players who broke Wayne Gretzky’s records and who are close to breaking one. 

Hockey players and the Herculean task of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s records 

First of all, whenever the topic of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record comes up in discussion, there will always be an unavoidable mention of Alex Ovechkin. On April 6, 2025, Ovechkin scored the 895th goal of his legendary NHL career and officially broke Gretzky’s long-standing record for the most goals of all time. This historic moment was arguably the most awaited and celebrated record-breaker in hockey history.

Then we see Connor McDavid chasing another one of Gretzky’s legendary records. Before reaching his current milestone, McDavid had already found himself in an elite company with Gretzky just three months earlier. During a high-stakes matchup between the Oilers and the New Jersey Devils, he registered two key assists, making him the player who recorded 60 assists in nine consecutive NHL seasons—an incredible feat that further cements his place among the game’s greats.

And there is another historic record of Wayne Gretzky recently broken, this time by Sidney Crosby. Crosby’s first-period goal against the Buffalo Sabres on March 27, 2025, secured the 20th point-per-game season for the Pittsburgh Penguins captain, breaking a long-standing tie with Gretzky. This remarkable achievement adds yet another milestone to Crosby’s illustrious career. So, these are just some of the iconic records that current NHL players have managed to break. And who knows, could NHL fans witness even more records fall at the hands of today’s star players? Only time will tell, but the future certainly looks exciting.